Conservative Oklahoma is overrun with elected officials who only don the Scarlet R (Republican) to gain power and position. Those with immense power within the state’s legislature, those who control the narrative, the committees, the campaign funding and the likelihood of any bill making it to the floor, are overwhelmingly fakes.
Typically, those fakes maintain the facade in public while simultaneously protecting state agencies and betraying constituents behind closed doors. They’re all MAGA in campaign ads knowing few voters track their actions at the capitol.
In October, one case of serious overreach and targeting by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) Child Welfare Services division brought two Republican state senators into the spotlight, outing one as an imposter and revealing the other to be a rare people’s servant.
The juxtaposition is well worth exploring as it provides a spot-on, political allegory for the power piracy currently dominating Oklahoma politics and working squarely against the will of the people.
The Case: Moms for Liberty Leader Dayna Mooney’s Son Targeted by OKDHS
This outlet has extensively covered the medical kidnapping of the autistic, teen son of Dayna Mooney, a well-known, parents’ rights leader and Moms for Liberty chapter chair.
In late 2023, Mooney’s son Presten was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia(CML), a slow-growing form of leukemia more prevalent among those with autism. After Presten received unsuccessful treatment at OU Children’s and suffered serious side effects from the chemotherapy, in 2024, the family chose to seek alternative care away from the OU Health system.
On October 3rd, after over a year of restoring Presten’s health and securing a qualified, holistic provider, the family’s right to choose medical care for Presten was overridden by OKDHS based on an anonymous report of medical neglect. Presten was taken back to OU Children’s and forced to undergo unwanted blood transfusions, chemotherapy and a bone marrow biopsy that caused a serious infection and massive hematoma on his hip.
The teen who was mowing the lawn on September 29th, when OKDHS arrived at the home, quickly became critically ill and immobile in state custody.
In court, the agency consistently omitted critical information when twice requesting emergency custody of Presten. Despite a judge returning custody to his mother on October 6th, the agency, in partnership with OU Health, relentlessly pursued a second round of allegations. Presten is now in permanent state custody and has been placed in foster care pending an adjudication hearing at the Gary E. Miller Children’s Justice Center (Canadian County, El Reno, OK) on December 16th.
State Sen Jett Defends Family Rights: Mooney’s Own Sen Rosino Defends OKDHS Despite Lead Oversight Role
From the beginning of the Mooney case, a handful of state legislators and one gubernatorial candidate stepped up to defend the family’s rights, none more fervently than Sen Shane Jett (R-Dist 17). Dayna Mooney and her son are constituents of Sen Paul Rosino (R-Dist 45) but it was Jett, not Rosino, who stood by the family in their battle against government overreach.
Rosino is chair of the Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee, arguably making him the most powerful, elected official in an oversight role over not just OKDHS but the State Department of Health, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth, the Office of Juvenile Affairs, the Physician Manpower Training Commission, the University Hospitals Authority, the Oklahoma State University Medical Authority, state licensing boards for health care practitioners and several other agencies.
A number of entities under HHS Chair Rosino’s umbrella financially benefit when a sick child comes into state custody while others hold power over needed credentials for providers. HHS agencies represent over $4 billion of the state’s $12.2 billion budget (FY25). Those agencies directly contract out a large portion of those funds. The opportunity for grift by the powerful is enormous, and Rosino has a reputation for vehemently defending those institutions, not the Oklahomans they may harm.
In a detailed report by this outlet (June 2025), Rosino’s swollen campaign account was shown to be consistently filled by PACs and lobbyists directly linked to his agency oversight responsibilities. Medical and mental health providers and entities generously fund Rosino’s campaigns even when he has no opponent to campaign against.
The reporting also revealed how Rosino, once entering political life in 2017, divorced his wife of decades and wound up on the Facebook page “Are We Dating The Same Guy?” (per the Lost Ogle) before marrying his current wife, then an employee of the legislature.
Rosino’s now spouse is the treasurer of his special-interest funded campaign account and was hired by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSA) just after Rosino became chair of the committee overseeing the same agency.
In May, Rosino and Jett were on opposite sides of a very dramatic fight involving $30 million missing from that agency.
The public battle between the two Republican senators has resumed. As Presten was initially taken into OKDHS custody, Jett stepped up to fight for the Mooney family’s rights as Rosino layered up with legacy media outlets and false narratives defending the agency.
Media Mirror: Rosino Calls for Censorship While Jett Coins a Keeper - TransRepublican Label is Here is Stay
As the details of OKDHS overreach on the Mooney case became national news, instead of reaching out to his constituent Mooney, Rosino ran to the local MSM to declare OKDHS and himself to be the victims.
On KWTV’s (News9) Sunday morning farce of a politically balanced conversation called Your Vote Counts, Rosino declared all other reporting on the story to be false, misleading, dangerous and unfair to himself.
The unison message was Oklahomans should be stopped from questioning state government, elected or otherwise. Former House Rep Jason Dunnington (D) blamed the “all-time low in people that trust elected officials” not on the widespread failure of office holders to represent their constituents with fidelity but on the reporting of “allegations of ethics issues”.
“This breakdown of trust from actions of elected officials has got to stop,” ordered Dunnington.
Host Scott Mitchell suggested reporting on the Mooney case was “irresponsible”, “false” and “pejorative”. Journalists digging into the Mooney case spreading “misinformation” were ordered to “do better”.
By remaining vague and scolding, this cover-up team failed to specify what exactly was inaccurate or describe what was actually happening to the Mooney family.
No four (4) minutes of video could better illustrate how dangerously intertwined the local legacy media is with deep state actors within Oklahoma’s government.
On the program, Rosino invoked fear of political violence and child harm while calling to de-platforming the many voices demanding OKDHS reform.
“What’s more concerning for me is that some of the rhetoric is going to put children in harm because there are some things being said about state agencies taking and kidnapping kids, medical kidnapping, all those things,” Rosino said. “It’s so untrue and it’s unfair. It’s unfair to the kids in the future who may need this assistance, and it’s unfair to the people like me who are serving and trying to do an honest job and come to work every day and do what’s best for Oklahomans…The fact that they continue to get a platform to talk about it is even more infuriating.”
Oklahomans push back on HHS chair Rosino’s call for censorship (X: @JulieiwithPALs).
Then Rosino claimed politicians might be “set on fire” because the media failed to “fact check” reporting on the medical kidnapping of Presten.
“The media has some culpability there, and they need to be able to fact check…And I don’t think that that’s happened,” warned an observably nervous Rosino. “In many cases, it could be dangerous. Some of the stuff is vile, and it could incite violence which is very scary to me. We have seen that. We have seen people murdered. We have seen people attempted to be murdered. We have seen politicians lit on fire. These kinds of talking points are what incites people.”
Rosino is crying wolf as cover. The politician recently “lit on fire” was Lee Vogler, a city councilman from Virginia who was reported to have had an affair with the wife of his attacker. The crime was personal and not the result of political reporting of any kind.
Based on the throng of social media comments attached to Rosino’s appearance, Oklahomans weren’t buying a word of what Rosino was selling.
Reactions to Sen Rosino (R) comments on Your Vote Counts; Oct 19th (KWTV-News 9 Facebook page)
To clarify, Rosino will not talk to or provide comment to this outlet or others telling truths. We’ve tried.
This outlet can also confirm Rosino has never once spoken to his constituent Mooney, her son or their legal representation about this case, yet somehow, Rosino publicly declared OKDHS faultless and the independent media inaccurate and dangerous.
In contrast, Sen Shane Jett appeared on multiple, national outlets and podcasts to decry OKDHS and hospital overreach. On The Tom Renz Show, Jett outlined the financial incentives for medical kidnapping.
Locally, Jett appeared on KOCO’s Oklahoma Chronicle, explained the case timeline in detail and discussed each parent’s right to make medical decisions for their children.
Jett outlined Presten’s diagnosis, previously unsuccessful treatment at OU Children’s and emphasized his family’s right to seek second opinions and alternative providers during 2024. Then Jett got specific about an ongoing pattern of OKDHS overreach in the Mooney’s and other cases statewide.
“Dayna Mooney was basically being subjected to medical kidnapping. What had happened was the anonymous phone tip line for DHS was used to raise accusations against the family, many of which were false,” explained Jett. “So it had weaponized that system to notify the media, I’m sorry, notify DHS there was medical neglect, which was not true.”
Jett further described how an OU Health provider contributed to OKDHS’s efforts to medically kidnap Presten and why timing is telling in this case.
“The doctor who had been contacted by DHS who signed off on concerns about the well being of the child hadn’t seen the child in over a year,” outlined Jett. “And so they (DHS) went to a judge and got an order for emergency custody of a minor. Showed up on a Friday afternoon, and that’s important because what we discovered is that is a typical M.O. for DHS to do on a Friday afternoon because it’s hard to get an injunction to stop it. That gives them a full 48 hours to do whatever they want to that boy.”
Host Evan Onstot then asked, “What does the 17-year-old want in this?”
Jett responded, “The 17-year-old wants to go home. And understand Evan, whenever the DHS worker showed up for signs of life five (5) days earlier, the boy was in the backyard with his stepdad mowing the lawn. He was living his best life pursuing the health options of the mother.”
The discussion turned to parental rights, privacy and where the line between DHS’s power and a family’s choices should lie. Jett explored the probability of political persecution in this case given Dayna Mooney publicly advocates for parental rights through Moms for Liberty.
“The bar has to be beyond we disagree with a medical protocol that your family has chosen as though it’s medical neglect,” clarified Jett. “And what happens when you buck DHS, they start looking for other charges to bring against you so now they’re looking at physical neglect. The problem is that they chose the wrong family to run over this time because the Mooney family is very well known and very well respected in the legislature.”
Jett called out Jeffrey Cartmell, Gov Stitt’s newest appointee to lead DHS, and the agency’s ongoing culture of self-protection that conceals the institutional wrong-doing that damages so many families.
“This is a 50-year problem that he (Cartmell) has been assigned to clean up, and he is a professional. I’ve know him for a long time,” states Jett. “But to drill down into that labyrinth in where they always double down and protect themselves. And here’s the problem, they bring, ‘they’ DHS brings request bills to increase privacy, ostensibly to protect the privacy of the child, but what we discover is they are actually being used to protect themselves for wrongdoing. And there is also state statute that suppresses any of the court activity so you can’t discuss it. That also creates a shroud of secrecy.”
The conversation moved to the Freedom Caucus for which Jett serves as chairman and described as “the most closely aligned to Oklahoma’s core conservative voters”.
With a Trumpian sense of humor and similar skill for satirical nicknaming that cuts through the nonsense, Jett coined the term “TransRepublican” to separate Freedom Caucus members from the power consolidating faction of the GOP.
The new moniker for RINOs is a keeper that spread quickly (note comments to Rosino’s media fiasco and Jett’s related post).
KWTV viewer comments (L); Sen Jett post explaining “TransRepublican” (R) (Sources: Facebook)
Jett, a former Navy intelligence officer, provided this outlet with a satirical response to the on-air comments of Rosino, Dunnington and Mitchell concerning the Mooney case:
“In a rare show of lock step bipartisan cooperation former ranking Democrat lawmaker and ranking member Republican Senator leadership demonstrated solidarity and total agreement on KOCO during a completely objective, totally well balanced, non-biased interview.
Ranking Senate Leader, and noted TransRepublican, transplant from Rhode Island, Sen. Paul Rosino, Chairman of powerful Health and Human Services Committee, has finally decided to speak out about the terrible atrocities happening to his constituents in the Mooney’s Medical Kidnapping and Forced Treatment case at the hands of the agency over which he has oversight DHS.
Rosino’s words were clearly meant to offer comfort, encouragement, and support to those whom he is committed to protecting and representing during their difficult time of personal struggle and abuse.”
More Than War of Words: Jett Takes Action - Recorded, Middle-of-Night Visit to OU Children’s
Despite the return of Presten to his mother’s custody on October 6th, OKDHS and OU Children’s continued to hold the family hostage at the hospital with threats of both criminal charges and a new child welfare investigation should Mooney attempt to discharge Presten.
Over the next eleven (11) days, Presten’s health declined as Mooney and her attorney Daniel McClure unsuccessfully negotiated with OKDHS and Canadian County ADA Eric Epplin on a plan of care for Presten that would end the agency’s involvement and threats of further intervention.
With legal custody of her son restored by the court, a new, documented plan of care in place and no hope of reasonableness from OKDHS, late on Friday, October 17th, Dayna Mooney informed OU Children’s she was discharging Presten. Mooney provided a signed letter from Presten’s new provider with details about follow up care and restrictions, and a standoff ensued. OU Children’s informed the discharge would be against medical advice (AMA). Therefore, OU Police and OKDHS would be called.
Senator Jett arrived in the middle of the night. At the time, Jett was not aware the conversation was being recorded but has since given permission for this outlet to publish the exchange including himself, Dayna Mooney, fellow Moms for Liberty chair Roberta Lewis and two (2) OU Health resident physicians.
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In the recording, Jett enters Presten’s hospital room, Roberta Lewis provides a recap of the night’s events and Jett takes over like a velvet hammer. The full nine (9) minutes are refreshing. Here are the highlights:
Jett: “Nice to meet you (Jett to doctors). So, I understand that they’re transferring from the care here to another MD who’s taking over custody which is her right as a patient. She’s not under DHS care. Okay. So, I believe that’s a different type of paperwork that you have prepared. We have the letter from the doctor. We’re on the phone with the attorney. So, what needs to happen, and I appreciate your concerns and you’re following hospital protocols, but this is a broader issue which is why I’m here.”
Dr. Heard (OU resident physician): “Okay.”
Jett: “So, do what you need to do but she has rights as a human being and she’s not under DHS custody. And you’re a state run hospital, okay, so I understand that you’re going to make decisions that you’re going to live with. Right? But what we need to do, she needs to exercise her right tonight to do what is her right to do, to be able to go. So, if you can bring her the paperwork that she needs, not the AMA (Against Medical Advice), but the transfer of care because we have a letter from the doctor who is going to do that. She’s not under DHS custody and she’s here now on her own volition. Unless you’re kidnapping her. Are you kidnapping her, doctor?”
Heard: “Uh, no.”
Jett: “Are you holding her against her will?”
Heard: “No. And again, as I told her, this is, I’m a resident physician. It’s a little, um, even if I wanted to discharge her, it would be something the attending would have to manage.”
Jett: “Where’s the attending?”
Heard: “Home.”
Jett: “So, are we going to call the attending? Who’s the attending?”
Heard: “Tonight is Dr. Teron…I don’t know how to spell it.”
Jett: “How long have you been working here?”
Heard: “Three years.”
Jett: “Three years. So this is a broader issue that we’re working with. So you’ll make your phone calls. I’ll make my phone calls. Okay? But we need her to have the paperwork or we need for you to justify why you are sequestering and kidnapping this family against their will. Okay?”
Heard: “I’ll call in my attending. We’ll have a chat.”
Jett: “Let’s have a chat. And if they’d like to call the MD that we have, which is our right to do, and our attorney has agreed with the ADA, who’s cell phone I have, we can do that. But what needs to happen tonight, is they need to go home. So if you can get that paperwork, or whoever you need to call to do that, let’s get started on that.”
Heard: “Okay, we’ll make some phone calls, and we’ll go from there.”
Jett: “Very good. Hope you’ve enjoyed your time here in Oklahoma.”
In the end, the facility, as legally required, removed Presten’s IVs and provided a medication plan, prescriptions and discharge paperwork. At approximately 3 AM, Presten left OU Children’s and returned home only to be harassed by OKDHS on the family’s doorstep just hours later.
The system is incapable of learning and appears determined to harm and therefore silence Dayna Mooney and others who advocate for medical freedom and parental rights. Jett and Rosino represent a government-wide choice for voters in June 2026.
In the general election in November, a registered Republican will win nearly every seat. Will those seats again, overwhelmingly go to TransRepublicans who hoard power and protect rogue agencies? Will government or Oklahomans be in charge? That determination will be made on June 16th, 2026, in the statewide primary elections. Choose wisely, Oklahoma.
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Thank you for keeping us informed on Presten and Dayna and all you do to make us aware of these issues. And a heartfelt thanks to a senator Sean Jett for standing in the gap for parental rights and the Mooney family and the people of Oklahoma.
Excellent suggestion! Rosino is eligible to run for one more 4-year term in 2028. Plenty of time to raise support for candidate Mooney.
Thank you for keeping us informed on Presten and Dayna and all you do to make us aware of these issues. And a heartfelt thanks to a senator Sean Jett for standing in the gap for parental rights and the Mooney family and the people of Oklahoma.